Tech: Can't finish a de frag....

Subject: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:11 PM

Scan disc found no errors on this drive
Windows cannot finish de fragmentation because of a problem. Please click scan disc and then defrag.

Lexplore has caused an error in dll...

The first two were in both Normal and Safe Mode. The third keeps happening. Re boot does not help. I've dumped cache, etc.....

Now what?

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:19 PM

Now, lexplore has caused an error in USER.EXE. And, 'there is a script error on this page. Do you want to continue running this page?'

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Teresa
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:33 PM

Hi Sorch,

I know I talked to you about this in chat, but I just want to make sure I spell it out and it's all clear.

I'd get spyware remover such as Spybot and let it take off whatever it can. Then uninstall and reinstall IE. Your IE won't completely uninstall, since it's locked into Windows, but it will "roll back" to a previous version, and then you can reinstall it. then set the spyware remover to always on, and do the same with your antivirus software, so this doesn't happen again. also, perhaps consider having a separate administrative or user account for yourself.

I hope this is helpful. ...

T

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: mack/misophist
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:37 PM

Check this, but I think you have to turn off the anti-virus during defrag. It's been a while since I had to do it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:45 PM

Done both, dears. Won't even finish in safe mode...running AV now. Tessa, I have AdAware..similar to Spybot....I can't seem to get Spybot to finish a download.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Teresa
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:49 PM

Ok, I'm stumped ... I hope someone can help! Good luck. :( Hope to see you and your computer all well soon. :)

T

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 10:01 PM

Thanks for trying!

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: John J
Date: 14 Sep 04 - 03:11 AM

Hi Sorcha,

I don't pretend to know much about these glorified TV sets, but from my limited experience I would check out:

How much free space do you have on your HDD?
If the HDD is close to full, then defrag will come up with all manner of excuses not to finish or behave properly.

Are you using Win98 defrag? (This is the only OS I have any real experience of).
I personally found that using defrag from Norton System Works to be much better, also the extra tools provided help keep my system running smooth-ishly.

There are many far more experienced people around here who already have helped, and will help you.

Good luck,

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Sep 04 - 03:19 AM

I found a good freebie defragger called DiskKeeperLite - they sell a Pro version too. It worked OK in the background (one of its features) but then came the System Crash again, it would never behave after the rebuild... won't buy anything that misbehaves like that...

Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Sep 04 - 10:20 PM

No, I'm using ME defrag...found out from the Help page that the 98 often doesn't work right. Never had a problem before. And, John, I have LOTS of space on my HDD....not a very big RAM, but the HDD is less than 1/3 full. This is driving me batshit.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 04 - 10:50 PM

Sorcha,

I got rid of ME on my computer because it was so unstable.

I suggest you visit Microsoft's Windows Update and poke around there and the Knowledge Base and see if you can find anything. Meanwhile, I need to do the same for my lack of DSL problem.

I think Norton has a utilities program that does a better defrag job than the Windows program does.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Amergin
Date: 14 Sep 04 - 11:53 PM

Is your screensaver and energy saver turned off?

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 05:33 AM

Run DeFrag from SAFE MODE - do it three times in a row.

Sincerely,
Gargroyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 05:34 AM

P.S.
Unplug your modem when defragging.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 06:22 AM

I had a similar problem and had it explained to me that I was running too many things at the same time....I was instructed to press "control/alt/delete" at the same time and a list of items comes up "End task" on each, have to keep "control/alt/deleting and end tasking before they are all gone except "explorer" which you leave.
Hope this helps...it helped me.
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: GUEST,Morris - ey
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:52 AM

If defrag won't complete, it suggests the hard drive is knackered and will need to be replaced.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 10:37 AM

The problem with asking for Technical help in a non-technical forum like this us that you get a lot of well-meaning people who know little bits and pieces but "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing".. and you will get lots of often conflicting suggestions in a random order without prioritising them.

For example the suggestion that the hard drive is some how 'on the way out' is easily countered by the technically savvy if one has done a couple of ScanDisks with Surface Scans and detected no problems. The Disk MAY be suspect, but if no problems are detected by a Surface Scan, the Trained knowledgeable experienced person will bypass that - even though it may be one of the first things tried.

Trying to detect exactly what is going on at a distance is not easy, taking into account the almost infinite possible combinations of OS and programs loaded on any particular hardware setup.


1) Seek and destroy viruses, trojans, malware, etc.

2) Check Disk with Surface Scan (probably should do this first, but who know what viruses will hook into and what damage they will do?) - a basic Check without surface scan should be done BEFORE attempting to defrag anyway. Theoretically, Defrag will usually detect a problem and fail with an error telling you to run checkdsk.

3) Anything that sends a write to the disk will interrupt the defrag and cause it to restart. This means any background process or program that writes anything to the disk - shut them down. Also another thread here mentions that the very process of moving the data around may cause rewriting of the linkage data in the FAT tables which can cause rewriting of directory (folder) info which may cause the directory to expand and rewrite to disk, causing a restart. This will EVENTUALLY sort itself out... Norton allows you to compact the directory sectors, the standard MS defrag does not. Some AV progs will detect you trying to run defrag and freak out - you may have to disable the AV utility - this is one reason for the suggestion of running in SAFE Mode, as some AVs are not normally enaged then. Some AV's monitor all reads and writes and can get their knickers in a knot.

4) Hardware interrupts such as modems, mice, etc MAY trigger a program that does a write (this may be an entry to a log file - if you have Spyware running, this could be what is happening), this will cause a restart of defrag. Shut them down or don't fiddle with them.

5) The defrag under SAFE Mode may help because many services are not started - you MAY need to perform this multiple times to 'get the disk sorted properly' - MS wired into the standard defrag a cute thing that sorts your files into the order that allows the most frequently run progs to be stored 'more efficiently according to its logic'. I have never needed to run defrag under SAFE Mode.

Incidentally, when defragging, the PC IS NOT AVAILABLE for ANYTHING you normally would run, but I did used to run MS Hearts on my old 95 slow box and no problems... :-)

6) Calm Down - when excited or upset, the mind tends not to work clearly. Give it a little break and don't panic.

Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Can't finish a de frag....
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 02:44 AM

Defragging in SafeMode is considerably faster than standard.....i.e. one hour for two drives vs 8 to 10 hours.

To get into Safe Mode ..... restart your unit ..... hold down the CONTROL KEY during the boot process ....acknowledge screens and instructions.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle